Project Description

Summary

Our Digital Heroes Foundation http://www.ourdigitalheroes.org/ http://www.ourdigitalheroes.org/ is a 501(c)3 non-profit dedicated to serving veterans and specifically service-disabled veterans through technology. We seek to provide them with a mission, skills, and a team for them to achieve economic independence. Our newest program is called ODH Labs which will create a facility for in-processing used equipment and enabling veterans seeking experience in PC Technology and Networking. Also, in consistence with our mission to provide work for the home-bound veterans, this program will deliver in-bound hardware and parts to home labs where the service-disabled veteran can work on them at his own pace. Then the processed hardware is picked up by the delivery guys and returned to the facility for sale to raise money to further grow the program.

Right now, we are focused on establishing the program and using volunteers to refurbish the hardware and raise money to establish the facility. That will enable us to scale the program to support sustainably hiring veterans.

Limitations

Limited to veterans (having a discharge of other than dishonorable) and their spouses.

Limited to continuing education courses.

Limited to courses in technology.

Limited to paying for course of study (may be one or more classes), exam fees for industry recognized licenses or certifications, and/or books.

Wide-variety of job skills

PC Tech

Network Tech

Systems Admin

Logistics (shipping/receiving)

Delivery

Inventory

Accounting

Online sales

Marketing

Self-supporting once started. Revenue enables program growth.

Startup costs:

Facility

Equipment

Truck

Labor (Direct Benefits)

Focus on e-commerce channels first.

Phase 1: Establish Program

Establish hardware sources

Identify volunteers to refurbish PC’s

Develop online sales channel 1 (eBay)

Deliver hardware to volunteers

Refurbish

Sell to raise money

Goal: Process 100 computers at $250 to raise $25,000 seed money.

Phase 2: Begin Hiring

Armed with past-performance, seek grant funding sources for funding to create facility to house shipping and receiving, laboratory, and operations.